I’m not even going to start going on about the Harry Potter House Cup on Ravelry. Y’all already know what a Potterhead I am so let me just get to the project.
The Quidditch cup matches have been insane this term and the fourth match was a speed round. We were given 6 projects to choose from — knit & crochet — to test our concentration and speed abilities. First day submission equals maximum points and with all the other houses gunning for Slytherin this term (we are three in a row, Quidditch cup and House cup champions) it was all systems go on the first submission day. This was one time I was extremely glad that I know how to knit and crochet. My submission was this slouch:
Pattern: the Hadley Slouch and my Ravelry notes are here.
I finished this in 2.5 hours and will definitely do it again. My fingers were in pain from the death grip I wielded on that hook but I got it done in time! It didn’t fit me like a slouch although it fit Ziva (my hat dummy) just like it should. On my head with my fro unleashed, it fits like a beanie. I think I’ll work the pattern again and add extra rows to the body to make it more slouchy for my head/hair.
The other crafty bug that’s gotten under my skin is spinning. My spinning wheel and I are still not talking so I’ve gone back to spinning on my spindle. Well … as at yesterday. I honestly think I need to sit with someone to help me with wheel spinning but the places I’ve contacted in NY regarding wheel spinning classes want upwards of $595 and I just don’t have that laying around right now. LOLOL! Even if I did, I still don’t think I’d want to pay that much for classes. One woman even told me that I MUST take her studio’s spindling class before she would have me in her wheel class and that first class is upwards of $195. Needless to say I declined because there is NO place in spinning history where spindling MUST precede wheel spinning. NO PLACE! Some crafters do one or the other or both, but there’s absolutely no learning “order” so I let that go too. But I’m determined — I’m going to be on someone’s Tour De Fleece’s team in July. So as at today, I plan to spin for 30 mins a day. My goal is to start learning to ply by the end of the month. Fingers crossed! No scratch that … I’m going to do this!!!!
I posted this pic on IG but ended up changing my spindle to a Bosworth high whorl one instead of the Turkish one shown.
I also changed the fiber. The fiber I chose initially need a shorter draw and at this point I only know how to spin using the long draw. The spindle was a little wobbly and unbalanced but I believe it’s because I was trying to do a long draw on short staple length fiber. The fiber kept breaking and the spindle kept crashing to the floor. I guess they’re not named drop spindles for nothing. I switched fibers to BFL (Blue Face Leicester) that has a long staple length making it easier for beginners to work with and I used my Bosworth which is worth every dime!!! Good for me, one of the teams I supported at my old job gave it to me as a thank you gift on my last day before the agency closed. Now I think I need another well balanced high whorl spindle so I could split my fiber and get to plying faster.
So there you have it. Some of my goals for the next couple of months. What are you planning to work on?
ETA: this post was brought to you by the letter U for Umpire: something to do with sports in my Scavenger Hunt 2015 Stashdown challenge.
D'NALI 
Well done on finishing that hat in record speed. It hurts my fingers and hands just imaging crocheting a hat in such a short amount of time!
I have heard quite a few people raving about the Craftsy spinning classes:http://www.craftsy.com/classes/spinning
Then I have also heard that there are many who learned everything about their wheels and spinning from Youtube(free!). Good luck love. If anyone can master their wheel spinning it would be you.
I’m not going to lie … my fingers hurt for a couple of days after but they’re fine now. Don’t know if I’ll be that crazy again but it was fun. 😀
Thanks so much for the link to the Craftsy spinning classes. I have already gone through the spindling one but there was a new one that I didn’t know about so thank so much for the link and vote of confidence. 😀
If anyone can do it and win, you can! That’s one lovely hat and a great win for your team!! The spindling before spinning thing seems weird, it’s like someone saying that you need to know how to crochet (one needle) before you learn to knit (two needles)!!
I know right?!!! But based on Tracey’s comment, it seems like that lady I encountered isn’t the only one with this notion. I guess I should thank her for making me so determined to learn despite her not so pleasant attitude. Who would ever think that handcrafts would breed such elitism? *shaking my head in wonder*
I find it interesting that you were told you needed to use a spindle first before who could to spin on your wheel, I was told the same thing when I inquired while in VA. Since I was only there for a visit and had no spindle experience I didn’t take a spinning class. One day I hope to spin, but that will have to wait for a future time.
That is a really cute hat and I love that your head dummy has a name, I must think of one for mine 🙂
It’s just so insane to me. There are spinners who don’t do both! Whatever man … we’ll just learn from other sources. 😀
P.S. allllllllllllll my toys have names. The glass head is Fernando, my sewing machine is Violet (aka ViVi) and my decorative dress dummy is Candice. Even my camera has a name — Kandy! LOLOL!
Yahoo for quick crochet!! A thought on your spinning, have you looked into maybe finding a spinning or knitting guild?? They may not give you a specific class, but at least spinning with those people who already spin may be able to help you develop into a better spinner using your wheel? I don’t spin, but I do belong to a knitting guild here in St. Louis and dues are really reasonable (like 20-30 a year) and they meet once a month and have educational programs and knitalongs and initiatives to knit for charity…Mostly it’s just some awesome knitters/crocheters/spinners all coming together to be awesome!! Best of luck!
Here’s a link to all the “guilds” in NY :http://www.textilelinks.com/guild/ny.html
Jenna … thank you so much for doing this! I’m going to send email to the spinning guild lady and plan to go to the knitting guild’s May meeting since next month’s is general election. I can’t thank you enough for this! Muah!!! ❤
I’m so happy I could help 🙂 can’t wait to see all your spins!!
Way to go on finishing your hat in time! Looking forward to seeing the results of your spinning. 🙂
My ever supportive friend! Thanks you so much for your vote of confidence. ❤